Elevator and latch construction



Jan. 12, 1937. H. E. GRAU 2,067,663

ELEVATOR AND LATCH CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 16, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

7 w zaw 4914/ M ATTORNEYS Jan. 12, 1937. H. E. GRAU ELEVATOR AND LATCH CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 16, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I CMM 6. BY 5 5 ATTORNE'YS known as collar type elevators.

Patented Jan. 12, 1 937 ELEVATOR AND LATCH CONSTRUCTION Herbert E. Grau, Los Angeles, Calif., asslgnor to Byron-Jackson 00., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application September 16, 1935, Serial No. 40,745

12 Claims.

This invention relates to elevators for raising and lowering pipe into and out of a well, such as an oil well. More particularly, the invention relates to elevators for use with so-called external upset pipe.

The pipe ordinarily consists of sections of pipe joined together with couplings, collars or tool joints having a larger outside diameter than the pipe and having a flat annular shoulder on the lower end of each coupling, collar or tool joint. The elevators commonly used with such pipe are Collar type elevators have a pair of hinged members adapted to encircle the pipe, and provided on the upper side with an annular flat bearing surface adapted to support the said flat annular shoulder at the coupling or joint to enable the pipe to be raised or lowered by the elevator and its associated hoisting mechanism.

Collar type elevators are usually of either one of two types, commonly called center latch or side door elevators.

tor comprises two semi-circular pipe engaging members jointed together at one end, preferably by a hinge connection, and adapted to be latched around a pipe. In this 'case the latch is at the front or center of the elevator, whereas in a side door elevator the latch would be located at one side of the elevator- So-called fexternal upset.pipe does not have fiat, annular shoulders and therefore cannot be handled by ordinary collar type elevators. External upset pipe is formed with upset ends forming enlarged portions, the outer walls of which are flared upwardly; that is to say, the outer face is inclined or tapered gradually outwardly and upwardly at an angle of about 18? from the axis of the pipe. External upset pipe has heretofore been handled by the use of lifting plugs or slip-type elevators, both of which are objectionable. The plug method is cumbersome and expensive because a plug must be screwed intothe upper end of each stand of pipe as it is pulled from the well and must be removed when the pipe is run back into the well. The use of slip type elevators is objectionable because such elevators are of necessity quite large and heavy a string and the "wedge form at the upset, an"

extraordinary spreading stress is developed in the elevator tending to swing it open, and one of A center latch eleva- 5 Another object is to provide a secondary .latching means to prevent accidental opening of the principal latch means, as might occur, for example, from a downward blow caused by the upset portion of the pipe striking downwardly into the elevator bore.

Another object is to provide a construction whereby, in an elevator with a hinged latch, the latch hinge pin is relieved of all strain.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan of an elevator embodying my invention, with parts broken away at the front and shown in section to illustrate details of the latch and lock;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the elevator 20 illustrated in Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation and partial section about on the line I1IlI[ of Fig. 1; and

Figure 4 is a detail on a larger scale and is a horizontal. section about on the line IVIV. taken through the latch and lock at the front and with the elevator in a partially open position.

In accordance with my invention, I provide a releasable latch that holds the elevator closed at the front. This latch is pivoted at one side and its free end engages over a lug at the opposite side to hold the elevator closed.

I prefer to construct the parts so that the pivot pin is relieved of strain when tensile stresses are developed in the latch. For this purpose the part on which the latch is pivoted is provided with means for engaging the latch and the pivot connection of the latch is made loose so as to permit this.

The latch is preferably provided with a lock mounted in such a way that the stresses in the latch do not resist the opening of the latch. For

described as applied to an elevator of center latch typ and which is constructed to handle upset' The members I and 2 are connected together at one end by a joint preferably including a hingepln 4.

The elevator is provided with suitable means, such as the lugs 5, for hanging it on balls or elevator links, not illustrated.

The latch 6 is preferably of bifurcated form with substantially horizontal bars 1 connected by integral vertical bars 8 and 9. In theclosed position of the latch the outer bar 9 fits over a latching lug l that projects outwardly from the free end of the member 2, and the engaging faces H on the lug l0 and I2 on the bar 9 are struck on a radius from the. axis of the latch bolt I3 as a center, and furthermore, these faces II and I2 though slightly curved extend in a direction substantially at right angles to the direction of initial movement of the free ends M of the member 2 when it swings open. And in order to hold the latch closed, I prefer to provide a lock l5 movably mounted on the latch and provided with an operating handle to release it; the further movement of this handle operating to open the latch,

The lock is preferably loose on a long pin 56 secured in the latch and provided with a coil spring N that urges the lock in a direction to keep its hook end or hook [8 in engagement with a part on the elevator. The hook preferably engages into a socket l9 having a shoulder 20 extending substantially at right angles into the face H. The lock [5 swings in a recess 2| formed in the vertical bar 9, and is provided with an operating handle in the form of a vertical bar 22.

The lock construction also includes a stop 23 which may be formed as a lug projecting from the lower portion of the lock and this stop is adapted to strike against the corresponding stop 26 formed on the lower horizontal bar of the latch. The engagement of these stops 23 and 26 limits the swing of the lock in the opening direction and permits sufficient movement'of the hook E8 to disengage it from the shoulder 20. A continued pull upon the handle 22 will then swing the latch outwardly on its pivot pinv Hand release the latch. 1

The latch is normally urged toward its closing position by suitable resilient means, preferably in' the form of a coil spring 25"(see Fig. .1) that is mounted in a spring. chamber 26 in thepipe encircling member l, the outer end .of the spring thrusting against'a short arm 21 that-projects inwardly from the latch atlits pivoted end.

. In addition to the stop 23 the lock is further provided with a second stop 28 in the form of a lug or finger that projects inwardly from the axis of rotation of the lock -and this stop 28 cooperates with a stop shoulder 29 formed at one side of the stop 26 (see Fig. 4);. This stop 29 limits the swinging movement of the lock in its locking direction under the action of itsspring H and when the latch is in itsropen position it holds an inclined edge 30 of the "hook l8 in. a

position to strike the corner 3! of ther latching lug l0, and this inclined edge 30 causes a cam action to push back the hook it and enable it to snap into the hook socket l9,

When a pipestring is being supported in the elevator it will be evident that the tapered upset portion of the pipe seating on the conical seat 3a exerts a considerable force tending to spread the members I and 2 in the direction to open the elevator. This spreading force is of course resisted by the latch and man ordinary latch construction would subject the latch-pin l3 to a considerable shbaring strain. In order to relieve the pin I3 of such a shearing stress, I prefer to have the latch mounted loosely on the pin l3. That is to say, the pin l3 has what is commonly called;

. will bear against the face II and against the curved face 34 of the lug 33 so that the spreading forces acting in a'horizontal plane and exerted by the elevator on the latch will be directly resisted by tensile forces developed in the latch itself without straining the pin l3.

In order to relieve the latch of any shearing stresses or other stresses acting in a more or less vertical'plane, I prefer to form an interlocking connection between the two sections of the elevator as illustrated in Fig. 2 by providing a substantially horizontal .tongue 35 which projects into a. corresponding socket 36 formed in the adjacent meeting face of the member 2.

In order to facilitate opening and closing of the elevator, the free ends of the elevator sections 1 and 2 are provided with forwardly projecting inclined horns or handles 31 that terminate in the ball handle 38.

The lugs 5 may be formed with an upper fork 5a and a lower fork 5b connected by a locking bar 39 to prevent dislodgment of the elevator links from the lugs and to enable the stresses developed in the upper'fork to be imparted through the locking bars 39 through the lower fork 5b. This construction is covered, however, in a copending application Serial No. 741,249, filed August 24, 1934, by Chester L. Lundeen.

The elevator preferably has a cylindrical bore 31) above the tapered seat 3a, and this bore 3b is larger than the diameter of the pipe supported in the elevator.

One of the advantages arising from having the tapered seat of the elevator depressed, that is, located considerably below the upper face of the elevator, and the' enlarged bore 3b above the seat, is that the stresses developed by the load, lie in a horizontal plane well within the body of the elevator. This brings more metal into the stressed zone and greatly increases the strength of the structure. This location for the seat also increases the stability of the loaded elevator and reduces the tendency of the elevator to tip.

It is understood that the embodiment of the invention described herein is only one of the many embodiments this invention may take, and I do not wish to be limited in'the practice of the invention, or in the claims, to the particular embodiment set forth.

' What I claim is:-

l. A well pipe elevator for use with external upset pipe comprising a pair of substantially similar pipe encircling members having a joint connecting the same together attheir rear ends and at the back of the elevator, said members adapted to close together around the pipe, and having adjacent faces cooperating to form a bore with a downwardly and inwardly tapered seat conforming substantially to the tapered portion of the upset pipe, whereby said tapered seat supports the pipe, and the weight of the pipe against the tapered seat tends to force the pipe encircling members apart; and releasable pivoted latch means at the front of the elevator opposite the said joint, and at the free ends of said members for holding said members in place around the pipe.

2. A well pipe elevator for use with external upset pipe comprising a pair of pipe encircling members having a joint connecting the same together at one end, and adapted to swing in the same plane so as to close together around the pipe, said members having adjacent faces cooperating to form a bore with a downwardly and inwardly tapered seat conforming substantially to the tapered portion of the upset pipe, whereby said tapered seat supports the pipe, and the weight of the pipe against the tapered seat tends to force the pipe encircling members apart, a releasable latch member for latching the free ends of the elevator aroundthe pipe, a spring normally urging said latch member to the latched encircling member adapted to engage the latch,

the locking member being pivoted o the latch member to swing in a horizonta plane, and adapted to engage said lug in such a manner that the direction of the initial opening-movement of the locking member is at substantially a right angle to the direction of the initial opening movement of the latching face of the latch member.

4 A well pipe elevator for use with external upset pipe comprising a pair of substantially semi-circular pipe encircling members hinged together at one end and having adjacent faces cooperating around a pipe to form a pipe-receiving bore, said-bore having .an annular, downwardly and inwardly tapered seat conforming substantially to the tapered upset portion of the pipe, latch means pivotally connected to one of said pipe-encircling members to swing in a horizontal plane, a movable lock for said latch mounted near the free end of the latch to'move in a horizontal plane, the direction of the initial opening movement of the lock and the latch being substantially at right angles to each other, said latch and lock having means to engage the other pipe-encircling member to lock the encircling members together, a handle for said lock, said latch mounted so that the initial opening movement of the handle disengages the lock and the continuedmovement of said handle disengages and opens said latch.

g 5. A ,well pipe elevator for use with external upset pipe comprising a pair of pipe encircling members having a joint connecting the same together at one end, and adapted to close together around the pipe, said members having adjacent substantially to the, tapered portion of the upi l of the elevator.

set pipe, whereby said tapered seat supports the pipe, and the weight of the pipe against the tapered seat tends to force the pipe encircling members apart, a latch having a loose pivot connection with one of the pipe-encircling members near the free end thereof, said pipe-encircling members each having a lug for engaging the latch, said latch and said lugs cooperating in the closed position of the latch, to secure the pipe encircling members in their closed position, said loose pivot connection operating to relieve the pivot connection of stresses and enabling the lugs to develop tension in thelatch while the same is holding the elevator closed. a

6. A well pipe elevator for use with external upset pipe constructed so as to open on its forward side to receive the pipe, and having a bore conforming substantially to the shape of the upset portion of the pipe so as to form a seat for the same and support the pipe, a latch for securing the elevator in its closed position, a loose pivot connection for the latch on one side of the elevator at the front, each side of the elevator at the front having means for engaging the latch in its closed position, said loose pivot connection enabling the sides of the elevator to impart tensile stress to the latch while the same is .holding the elevator closed.

'7. A well pipe elevator for use with external upset pipe constructed so as to open on its forward side to receive the pipe, and having a bore conforming substantially to the shape of the upset portion of the pipe so as to form a seat for the same and support the pipe, a latch for securing the elevator in its closed position, a loose pivot connection for the latch on one side of the elevator at the front, each side of the elevator at the front having a lug for engaging the latch, said loose connection enabling the lugs to impart a tensile stress to the latch in the closed position of the elevator and relieve the pivot connection of strain.

8.-A well pipe elevator for use with external upset pipe constructed so as to open on its forward side to receive the pipe, and having a bore conforming substantially to the shape of the upset portion of the pipe so as to form a seat for the same and support the pipe, a latch for securing the elevator in its closed position, a loose pivot connection for the latch on one side of the elevator at the front, each side of the elevator at the front having means for engaging the latch in its closed position, said latch being of bifurcated form with lug-engaging ends, the free ends of said pipe-encircling members having lugs for engaging the ends of the latch, said loose pivot connection enabling the lugs to develop tensile stress in the latch in the closed position .9. A well pipe elevator for use with external conforming substantially to the shape of the upsetportion of the pipe so as to form a seat for the same and supportthe pipe, a latch for securing the elevator in its closed position, a loose pivot connection for the latch on one side of the elevator at the front, each side of the elevator at the front having means for engaging the latch in its closed position, said latch being of bifurcated form, with a pair of substantially horizontal bars and with substantially vertical end bars, the free end of each of said pipeencircling members having a lug for engaging its adjacent end bar, said loose connection enabling 7 both of said lugs to engage the latch ends and develop tensile stress in the same, when the elevator is closed and relieving the pivot of stress.

10. A well pipe elevator for use with external upset/pipe comprising a pair of pipe encircling members having a joint connecting the same together at one end, and adapted to close together around the pipe, said members having adjacent faces cooperating to form a bore with a downwardly and inwardly tapered seat conforming substantially to the tapered portion of the upset pipe, whereby said tapered seat supports the pipe, and the weight of the pipe against the tapered seat tends to force the pipe encircling members apart; a latch pivotally mounted on the free end of one of said pipe-encircling members, the opposite pipe-encircling member having a lug with an engaging face for cooperating with the latch, said engaging face extending in a direction substantially at right angles to the direction of initial movement of the said free ends when the same swing apart to open the elevator, a lock pivotally mounted on the latch having a hook; the encircling member with the lug also having means for engaging the hook, the said lock being mounted on its pivot so that the initial movement of said hook is in a direction substantially at right angles to the engaging face of the lug, said lock having an operating handie, and said parts cooperating so that when the handle is pulled'the lock can be withdrawn by the first part of its movement, and the latch withdrawn by the latter part of its movement.

11. An elevator for supporting tapered upset tubing, having two doors hinged together and having a tapered seat depressed considerably below the upper face of the elevator for support ing the tapered upset of the tubing, and a latch connecting the two doors for holding the same closed, said latch resisting the spreading force tending to spread the elevator doors due to the weight of the tubing pressing on the said tapered seat.

' 12. An elevator for supporting tapered upset tubing, having two doors hinged together and having a tapered seat depressed considerably below the upper face of the elevator for supporting the tapered upset of the tubing, and a latch connecting the two doors for holding the same closed, said latch resisting the spreading force tending to spread the elevator doors due to the weight of the tubing pressing on the said tapered seat, means for pivotally mounting said latch on one of the elevator doors, and a lock associated with the latch for locking it in its latched position, said elevator having a bore above the tapered seat of larger diameter than the pipe supported on the seat.

HERBERT E. GRAD. 

